


After the Adventure

by Silex



Category: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 03:30:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16966854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silex/pseuds/Silex
Summary: After the adventure was over it was back to normal for Bethany and the others. Except after going through so much together with her new friends normal isn't really an option of Bethany, at least not the same normal that there was before they entered Jumanji. Much to Martha's chagrin Bethany wants to get her in on the adventures or to at least to try something new.





	After the Adventure

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rachael Sabotini (wickedwords)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedwords/gifts).



> I love this fandom and am happy to try and expand the number of fics in it because we need more fics about Bethany.

The cafeteria was loud as always, Bethany and her friends contributing their part to the commotion as they discussed their respective plans for the weekend.

Bethany rolled her eyes, “It’s not fair springing that on me like that. I told you already, I’m going hiking tomorrow.”

“It’s just walking in the woods,” Alyssa rolled her eyes right back, “You can do it first and then come to the party.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” Bethany threw her hands in the air, the picture of exasperation, “It’s a five mile hike over some hills. There’s no way I’m going to get back in time to wash up, do my hair, do my makeup and what am I even supposed to bring? You always plan these parties and expect everyone else to bring stuff.”

“Wait,” Samantha interjected, “Is it going to be like the last time where you made everyone chip in to pay for the pizza when the delivery guy arrived? Because if that’s the case I’ll put in my order now, a garbage pie with anchovies, got that? _With_ anchovies. Or just half with the anchovies so we can share.”

Several of the girls at the table recoiled at the mention of a pizza with everything on it, including anchovies, and there was a great deal of giggling and good natured joking until Jennifer spoke up, “Or you know, if you’re throwing the party you could not make us pay for the food. Then it wouldn’t matter what you got and we don’t have to look at Samantha’s disgusting pizza.”

“There’s nothing wrong with liking weird food,” Bethany broke back into the discussion, “But if you’re making us pay for it again I’m not going to be there.”

“I’ll have drinks,” Alyssa reminded, “My brother’ll do a beer run for us and my parents won’t care.”

“Not worth it,” Katie chimed in with a smug smirk, “Who wants to get drunk on gross beer? Your parents being out of town for the weekend and your brother being home from college to get beer for you isn’t enough of a reason to throw a party, especially not this time of year.”

As her friends began to debate what counted as a good reason to throw a party and if guests to a party should bring their own food, Bethany stood up to look across the room. Martha was sitting on her own, which struck her as wrong. Yeah, Martha usually sat alone, but that didn’t make it right.

“Excuse me,” Bethany picked up her tray and started to walk away, “One of you can let me know if this is or isn’t a party to I can decide if it’s even worth it to change my plans.”

Walking over to where Martha was sitting she smiled, “Hey, how’s it going with you and Spencer?”

At the same time Martha looked past Bethany at the table she’d left, “The gossip session got to be too much for you?”

Bethany sat down, “We really need to work on your attitude, you know? I can’t tell if you were changing the subject or insulting my friends.”

“How can you be friends with them?” Martha wondered, “They’re all so shallow. And Spencer and I are fine. He’s helping with a study session in the library to make up for the whole cheating thing that he and Fridge had going on. Apparently writing form essays for the two of them got him in trouble with a few of his teachers and he’s doing extra credit to try and make up for it.”

Ignoring Martha’s question in the same manner that Martha seemed to be missing the point of what she’d asked, Bethany clarified, “I meant if you two have gone on a date yet.”

“No, why?” Martha seemed genuinely confused.

“You can’t just hang out and study together, you need too like go and do things,” Bethany said, “Having fun once in a while won’t be the end of the world.”

“You mean like go to parties and laugh about stupid stuff?” Martha laughed as though making a joke.

“Go to parties if you want, or just do stuff, stupid or not. Spencer always watches Fridge’s games, he brings a book, but still, maybe you can go to one or something like that? Even if it’s boring you can be bored together and talk about the books you’re reading instead of watching the game,” Bethany suggested, “I’ve gone to a few since we’ve gotten back. I can show you some of the pictures I took and posted on Facebook if you want. And you really need to get around to accepting my friend request, okay?”

“I’ll try to remember,” Martha smiled and then changed the subject, “Since we’ve gotten back you’ve tried a lot of new stuff, haven’t you?”

“Yeah,” Bethany nodded, “And so should you. Also, my other friends aren’t shallow, you just don’t know them.”

Martha shook her head, “I’m open to trying new things, but I’m not going to be friends with your friends.”

“I’m not asking you to be friends with anyone, I’m asking you to try something new, like going out on an actual date with the guy you’re going out with,” Bethany countered.

“We’re not going out,” Martha stammered, “We’re just…studying together and stuff. It’s not anything more than that.”

“So you don’t have any plans for the weekend then, other than studying?” Bethany smiled disarmingly.

“No, but I’m not going to a party with you,” Martha sat up straighter in her seat, “I’ve got nothing in common with any of your friends. I mean your other friends. Spencer and Fridge are different…”

“Good,” Bethany agreed, “I’ll let Spencer know that the two of you are going hiking with me and Fridge can come along too if he doesn’t have practice or anything.”

Martha looked like she wanted to protest, but after opening and closing her mouth as though considering and rejecting several possible responses, her eyes narrowed.

Bethan prepared to defend her idea until she realized that Martha was staring past her.

“What are you doing here?”

Bethan turned around and saw Samantha standing behind her.

“Hey,” Samantha made a point of deliberately ignoring Martha, “The party’s not happening, probably for the better if you ask me. So, I was wondering, is there room for one more on your hike?”

Before Martha could say anything, and Bethany could see it in her expression that she did have something to say, she smiled, “Of course. Martha and I were totally thinking that it would be a lot more fun with more people. Right now it’s just us two, maybe Spencer, and Fridge if he’s free.”

Martha stared at her, open mouthed.

Samantha brightened instantly at the mention of Fridge. She’d had a crush on him for the longest time and realized that this might be her opportunity, “The more the merrier, right?”

“Right,” Bethany nodded, “It’ll be fun to do something different.”

The last part was aimed at Martha, who had stopped glaring at Samantha to look at her.

“You’ve been doing a lot of different stuff,” Samantha said, looking back and forth between her and Martha, “Any reason?”

“I had a kind of adventure when I ended up in detention with Martha and the others,” Bethany admitted with a coy smile.

“An adventure?” Samantha laughed, looking directly at Martha, “How did you even end up getting detention in the first place? Forgetting to bring back a library book?”

“She got into an argument with a teacher,” Bethany said quickly.

“Really?” Samantha’s laughter went from teasing to genuine, “I bet you won and that’s why they sent you to detention. I know I’m always trying to get my grades raised, but most of the teachers won’t even listen. Can you believe that I got a C on the last essay I wrote for English class?”

“Yes,” Martha said without hesitation.

Caught up in her story Samantha hardly even noticed, “Apparently my interpretation of the book was wrong, which doesn’t even make any sense. How can an interpretation even be wrong? You’d think that she’d be happy that I even read the book.”

Bethany shrugged helplessly at Martha as Samantha continued to rant.

It went on for several more minutes, until Samantha exhausted her litany of complaints and cheerfully waved goodbye to the two of them.

“What just happened?” Martha wondered.

“You met Samantha and we’re going for a hike together this weekend,” Bethany said, taking out her phone to send out a text to Spencer and Fridge.

“Why?”

“Because it’s trying something new,” Bethany explained as she typed out the text.

“And what if I don’t like it?” Martha huffed, crossing her arms.

“Then you’ll have something to talk to Samantha about, she’ll love to hear about all the fun you’re not having,” as Bethany was talking her phone buzzed, Samantha had sent her a text, “And speaking of trying new things, Samantha’s treating us all to pizza at her favorite pizza place after the hike.”

Martha remained skeptical, as though she somehow knew what pizza with Samantha meant.

Bethany was undeterred, “Come on, think of it as an adventure.”

“Hanging out with one of your friends isn’t really an adventure,” Martha retorted, “Or at least not that part of it. I guess the hiking could be an adventure.”

“Exactly,” Bethany cheered, “Adventure is all how you look at things and the weekend after we’ll do what you want. Think of something.”

For a moment Martha seemed to be considering another sharp reply, but then her expression grew thoughtful, “Spencer and Fridge said something about trying this game called _Shadowrun_ and it did sound fun…”

“See, that’s the spirit,” Bethany smiled and immediately started using her phone to look up what the heck _Shadowrun_ even was.

Apparently it was like _Dungeons and Dragons_ , except in the future or something. It sounded very confusing and seemed to involve a lot of reading, math and rolling dice.

Well, she had been the one talking about trying new things and adventures.


End file.
